Monday, January 14, 2013

Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle escalate to a higher level in spite of skeptics*

Bab Al Shams (the gate of the Sun) is a one step higher of the non-armed direct actions the joint comity of the villages popular comities involved in. The political parties that marginally support the struggle failed to co-opt it so far. The creativity of the joint comity rouse to an higher level in this action, forcing the Israeli state to disregard its pretension of law and order, and acted against its own higher court and destroyed the camp. The world media was "recruited" again to promote the non violent struggle against the occupation. In each village where weekly demos are done, few of the activist were left behind to keep the joint struggle going.

Bab Al Shams

Popular Comities project. Dozens of Palestinians established on Friday an outpost in E1 between Jerusalem a Maale Edomim and did "Not left the area". The activists, who brought with them equipment and established long stay 25 tents, have stated that they intend to expand the permanent settlement: "we will hold this village stubbornly".

"Hundreds of Palestinians have established this morning (Friday) outpost in E1 , which they call the "Bab al-Shams" (Sun Gate). The activists, who brought with them equipment, long stay, established 25 permanent tents and said that they intended to expand the initial settlement and turn it into a permanent settlement. Police force came to the area but have not yet decided what to do activists staying there."

"Abdullah Abu Rahma, a prominent figure Palestinian struggle, said the call for the establishment of the outpost began more than a month ago, particularly among Palestinians in the neighborhoods and communities whose lands are at risk of expropriation for the construction of new settlements. Among the others there were involved activists from Hattori, Issawiya, Abu Dis, and Anata Alaizrih.
One of the organizers, Mohammed Khatib, said: "It is a symbolic act, but a response to the intended Israeli settlement. We send a message to the international community to take immediate action to stop the settlement of Israel."

With the establishment of the tents, the group gave the following statement: "We, the sons and daughters of Palestine, announce the establishment of the village of Bab al-Shams (Gate of the Sun), by order of the people, without a permit from the occupation, without asked permission from anyone, that this land is our land and the it is our right to build."

The name of the Palestinian outpost in E1 taken from the novel "Bab al-Shams" authored by Elias Khoury. The book describes the story of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon after the 1948 War.

It also said in a statement that "we build the village as we can no longer remain silent on the continued construction of settlements and the theft of our land, and we believe direct action and popular resistance will achieving our goals. We are committed to hold this village stubbornly, not leaving it, until the Palestinians will regain full ownership rights on This land. "

According to the activists, "for decades, the governments of Israel would created facts on the ground, while the international community continued to be silent. It is time to change the rules of the game. Now we are determining the facts on the ground, the land of ours. Action, in which participated women and men from north and the south, organized by the popular committees. In the coming days we will hold here workshops and discussions, cultural events and art, as well as film screenings." http://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/150646_485634661479105_1676409323_n.jpg
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151146133907364

Palestinian Village of Bab Al-Shams Remains Steadfast. In the face of blatant eviction threats by Netanyahu and under Israeli army siege, the village of Bab Al shams continues to stand boldly.

Saturday

Israeli army and police have been laying siege to the newly founded Palestinian village of Bab Al shams since earlier today, blocking all roads leading to it. The area has been declared a closed military zone. The village was inaugurated yesterday on Palestinian land, East of Jerusalem, in an area referred to by Israel as E1, and designated for the expansion of Ma’ale Edomim settlement.

Despite the siege, roughly a hundred supporters from across Palestine managed to reach the village, trekking through rocky terrain. Earlier today, Abdallah Abu Rahmah of the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee said, "Israel has been defying international law for decades by building illegal settlements on stolen land and demolishing Palestinian homes. We are here to say that Israeli impunity must end. We have the right to build and live on our own land”.

This morning the residents of the village where notified by Israeli police that they will be evicted despite an injunction issued by the Israeli High Court, prohibiting demolition of the village for six days. The officers informed residents that the injunction only forbids the removal of village structures, not their inhabitants. Despite this statement, Israeli government has appealed to the court to revoke the injunction. As growing numbers of Israeli forces amass in the vicinity of the village, seemingly preparing to carry out an eviction, the residents of Bab Al shams stand firm in their resolution to hold on to the land.

Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers prevented Palestinian legislators Hannan Ashrawi, Saeb Arekat and Ahmed Majdalani from reaching the village and confiscated Majdalani's VIP card.
Famed Lebanese writer, Elias Khury, author of the epic novel Bab Al shams after which the village is named, phoned the residents earlier today to express his support. "You have revived Bab Al-Shams", he said, "I wish I were there with you."

Activists are reporting two buses full of people arrested at Bab al-Shams arrived at Qalandia checkpoint where detainees were released. Others, however, remain in Israeli custody for a while but released later. A. says they got 5 soldiers for each resident they beat them with sticks there are many injured.
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Bil'in

Dozens of Palestinians and pro-Palestinian activists (Israelis and internationals) got a asphyxia after inhaling the Israeli tear gas bombs in Bil'in that were fired by the IDF on their weekly demonstration against the settlements and the Apartheid wall.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.390542681038344.93277.387324478026831
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Ma'asara

Picture: Israeli soldiers contemplating the meaning of the word freedom made from snow balls at the non violent weekly demo.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151601631249688
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150427819549688.451862.576534687
http://on.fb.me/13moUvi

Nabi Saleh

During the weekly demonstration in Nabi Saleh, the IOF attempted to suppress the protest using putrid skunk water and barrages of rubber coated steel bullets and tear gas just as the demonstration started.
"We tried to reach the spring but IOF attacked us and we had a long argument with them then they began to hit us with their guns". Activists report that the demo in Nabi Saleh while small this week (due to the weather) was very energetic.
Seven solidarity activists (international and Israeli with the anarchists against the wall) were arrested in the pretext of entering a 'closed military zone.' A few protesters were injured by rubber bullets, one of whom (Mutaz Tamimi) sustained an injury to his face and was taken to hospital for medical treatment after a long delay as the Zionist soldiers forbid the ambulance from approaching the area to treat him. Dozens suffocated from the tear gas.

Arrestees:
L. R. updates: "the Israeli police is deliberately holding the 5 Israeli and 2 internationals activists detainees from Nabi Saleh Friday demo outside in the freezing cold, no doubt as some form of punishment for supporting Palestinians.
The occupation forces let go the last one of us around midnight. I was released into a very cold night, but warm hugs, and juice and falafel. It was cold (especially in the long hours in which we were held outside), and long (especially after they'd let everyone else out, and I sat there on my own, wondering whether I might be the only one spending the night) and boring (I read most of the Friday issue of Israel Today, solved a word puzzle with Michal and read half of Camus, the Plague), but it was a relatively easy arrest and I think we're all more or less fine. The Israelis amongst us got a two weeks restraining order from Nabi Saleh. The internationals are summoned to the airport on Sunday, and we hold our fingers crossed hoping that they won't be deported. Thanks so much to all of you who supported from outside, and no less to those who supported from the inside.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2013/0111/1224328672059.html
Palestinian activists claim the use by the Israeli security forces of a foul-smelling liquid, dubbed “the skunk”, against protesters and, in some instances, private homes, may be putting lives at risk.
Last Friday, January 4th, Israeli border police directed the skunk at the home of the Tamimi family in the Israeli-occupied West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, following the weekly protest against Israeli land confiscation.
A photographer recorded an Israeli tanker spewing the putrid liquid over the home of a Palestinian family. A border police spokesman, Supt Shai Hakimi, told The Irish Times that the spray was aimed at Palestinian stone-throwers on the roof of the building.

However, no such individuals can be seen in the photograph.

“The Israeli forces have targeted my home in Nabi Saleh dozens of times. On one occasion the powerful jet spray broke a window and also the television which was next to my seven-year-old son. The chemicals in the skunk destroy the furniture and no amount of cleaning can get rid of the stench.”

The comments by the border police spokesman were challenged by Haim Schwarczenberg, the Israeli photographer who witnessed the incident.

“There were no stone-throwing youths on the roof of the house that I saw,” he told The Irish Times last night. “This is not the first time this skunk liquid has been sprayed on people’s homes and not the first time I have witnessed how the Israeli authorities collectively punish the people of this village.”

The residents of Nabi Saleh, a small village of less than 600 residents, north west of Ramallah, have hosted weekly protests for almost four years against land confiscation by the nearby Jewish settlement of Halamish.
http://on.fb.me/WJAdql

Ni'ilin

On Friday, clashes after the Israeli army attacked the peaceful demonstration against the apartheid wall
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.186270841395165.39182.185129341509315

Qaddum

Dear friends
best wishes to all
We have very hard march today nearly 600 from our people here share it
beside our friends from Israel and ism.
The Israeli army and the police border shot a lot of tear gas bombs all
of these bombs were shot direct at the people.
Many persons were suffocated.
No arrests and no injures.
please see the link:http://www.facebook.com/AlMasira.KufurKaddom/photos_stream
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.513523348669723.110639.271405776214816
http://bcove.me/6kz1dvzd
http://on.fb.me/UF5DyI

South Hebron hills 12.1.2013

Guy Butavia http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151347840302138.499413.779192137
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* From my blog at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com
See Previous reports about the joint struggles the Anarchists Against the Wall take part in at the blog
See also: http://awalls.org